


The Ice Spoke Back

by supernovainparadise



Series: Seafoam [1]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: ;), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, At least..., Because that tag is all but required, Bisexual Sokka (Avatar), Canonical Character Death, Complete, Drowning, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Gay Zuko (Avatar), Gen, Hurt/Comfort, I'm using it for every Avatar fic I write, Iroh (Avatar) is a Good Uncle, M/M, Minor Character Death, Mom Friend Katara (Avatar), Momo being Momo, Near Death Experiences, Not Canon Compliant, Ozai (Avatar) is an Asshole, PART ONE IS COMPLETE, Spirit World, THIS IS A TAG?!, Theatre nerd Zuko, There Is No War In Ba Sing Se, Zuko (Avatar)-centric, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-31
Updated: 2020-08-09
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:13:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 18
Words: 16,620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25621147
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/supernovainparadise/pseuds/supernovainparadise
Summary: Zuko was born as a nonbender. Only his mother's will kept him from being slaughtered by his father, and the luck of a second heir leaves Zuko forever in his sister's long, long shadow.But Zuko has his mother.And Zuko has the moon.
Relationships: Aang & Toph Beifong & Katara & Sokka & Suki & Zuko, Azula & Zuko (Avatar), Iroh & Zuko (Avatar), Katara & Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar), Ursa & Zuko (Avatar), Yue & Zuko (Avatar)
Series: Seafoam [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1872988
Comments: 37
Kudos: 590
Collections: A:tla





	1. Chapter 1

"You wouldn't kill your only child-"

"I have no use for a child without firebending. He is worthless to me. Besides, I have you, I can have a second heir. This one will be disposed of."

"Please, Ozai, I beg you! You're right; we can have another child. But please, let him live!"

Ozai pauses and looks at his wife, clutching the babe close to her breast. Ursa looks up at him with tears streaming down her face, and there must be some good in Ozai somewhere because he relents.

"Very well. The child may live, but he will never see the throne."

"I understand..."

Zuko grows up watching his little sister excel with fire, the pride and joy of his father, the crown princess of the Fire Nation. He wishes he had the same powers. Instead, his uncle introduces him to an old friend, Piandao, who teaches Zuko the way of the blade. And while Azula spends her time playing with fire, Zuko sharpens his swords and teaches himself discipline. Zuko finds honor another way.

Right up until he loses it.

He may not be the heir to the throne, but his father still expects him to become _something_ and so Zuko works to become a general. He is thirteen, and his mother is long gone when he asks to sit in on one of the war meetings. He makes a terrible mistake; a general suggests sacrificing a new division as a distraction, and Zuko dissents. Very vocally. By speaking out of turn, he has insulted the honor of not the general, as he assumed, but of his father.

So he winds up on a stage, begging for forgiveness, unable and unwilling to fight his own father.

And he is stripped of his honor, any title, his home, and the sight in his left eye. Scarred and pained, Zuko is turned from the homeland, told that he may come back on one condition... That he captures the avatar.

It is practically a suicide mission, and so as Zuko stands out on the deck of the small ship that night, staring up at the full moon and feeling very badly as though he is _missing_ something, he knows he is riding towards his death.

Zuko gets incredibly lucky. The avatar awakens somewhere around the South Pole, and though Zuko fails to capture him this time, he now knows that it is possible. That there is a chance that he can go home, so long as he manages to secure the flighty young airbender. And he spends most of the winter attempting this, with his final attempt ending at the North Pole. And as Zuko watches the sky turn red from Zhao's actions, he feels like something inside him is still missing...

He fails again.


	2. Chapter 2

Zuko dreams of his family.

He dreams of his father and of the one good memory he has with him. They are on Ember Island, having just left the theatre just as the sun sets. His mother seems relatively happy, but Zuko is displeased. He is irritated at the way the players performed, certain that they have made a mockery of the play he has grown to love reading. Zuko is trailing behind, and Azula is running ahead, chattering on about all the things she still wants to do before they leave the island. Zuko's father is keeping pace just behind his mother, and Ozai glances back at the young boy, who is kicking a little at the sand. And Ozai pauses so that he can walk with his young son, who looks up in surprise.

Ozai gently nudges him and whispers, so his mother won't hear, "that was awful, wasn't it?"

Zuko giggles and nods. "I think you would have done better," he whispers, in a conspiratorial way.

Ozai full-on laughs at this and Ursa turns to smile at them. "What are you boys laughing at?"

The prince coughs, but still smiles as he looks at his wife and says, "nothing, dearest."

He dreams of his mother and of the gardens in the palace. It is evening, and he is showing him a section of the courtyard they normally don't spend time in. Just as Zuko turns to her to ask what they're doing back there, she holds up a finger to her lips and gestures for him to look. He does and feels a sense of wonder come over him. All the plants in this part of the garden, ones that are normally closed and never seem to be in bloom, have opened. Bright white and soft blue petals curl delicately under the moonlight, opening as the heat of day fades and the cool of the night settles upon the palace grounds. Zuko wants to reach out, and brush his fingers along the flowers, but stops himself, turning to look at his mother, who is smiling softly at him.

"I thought you might like that," she tells him, reaching up to gently run her fingers along his scalp.

"They're so pretty... Why don't they bloom during the day?" Zuko asks, glancing between his mother and the flowers.

"Some things grow best under the gentle blanket of the night," she responds, and Zuko, turning to look at the flowers, misses the meaningful and mournful look she gives him, and then the moon.

He dreams of his sister and of simpler times. It is nearing midnight, and Azula woke him up to convince him to sneak to the kitchens for a late-night snack; she _knows_ there's still leftover fire flakes in the kitchen, she just knows it! And so Zuko, ever the dutiful older brother, agrees to go with her. They slip out of Zuko's room and down the halls, trying their hardest to avoid the retinue of guards and late-night staff that still roam, finishing the tasks not done during the day. Looking back, Zuko is certain that they all knew the children were there, but letting them sneak around while keeping a silent eye on them. But to Zuko and Azula? They successfully sneak into the kitchens and apprehend the leftover fire flakes. They climb up to the roof of the first floor to eat them, where they can see over the courtyard and a little way into Caldera city. 

Azula elbows him and grins, one of her front teeth missing. "Hey Zuzu, guess what?"

Zuko smiles a little, thinking about how glad he is to be an older brother. "What?"

Azula points to something off in the distance and says, "I think I saw a dragon!"

Zuko turns to look, and as he does so, Azula steals some of his fire flakes. He turns to glare at her, and she laughs, and then Zuko's laughing too.

He dreams of his uncle and the last time he saw him. He is standing on the deck of a ship that isn't his, under the full moon, lowering a canoe into the water when he hears a door open behind him. He whips around, hand on the hilt of his swords, but it's merely his uncle. Iroh stops and looks at him for a long moment, an expression on his face that settles somewhere between affectionate... and terrified. He tells Zuko to come back safe, and he promises he will once he has the avatar. Iroh embraces him, and Zuko hugs him back, but as he turns to the canoe, his uncle speaks once more.

"Zuko, if we get separated..."

"We won't. I'll capture the avatar and return back to this ship, and we'll go _home,_ " Zuko insists as he busies himself with the rope.

"I'm sure we won't... But if we do, we'll meet back in Ba Sing Se."

Zuko turns and shoots his uncle a look over his shoulder. "Ba Sing Se? Uncle, there's no way we'll be welcome there... Let alone get in."

Uncle Iroh merely smiles at him and says, "you'll find a way. You always do."

Zuko wakes up with the last words his uncle said to him still ringing in his ears.


	3. Chapter 3

The place Zuko awakes in is not home. It is not the palace, nor is it Ember Island or the ship he has been adrift on for three years. It is white, and he sleeps on a bed of furs and animal skins. His hands and ankles have been bound with rope, and his swords are gone. His hair has been taken down from its ponytail to settle like ink in water around his head, in a dark halo. He forces himself to sit up, and his hair falls in his face for his efforts.

He reaches up and runs his fingers through it as best he can. At one point, he had shaved his scalp but left a small, long section. He had since grown it back to the way it was when he was exiled, and he has to admit that he is glad he did not keep it in the style worn by those who have lost an Agni Kai; it suited him poorly.

The sound of the door creaking open had Zuko sitting upright, adrenaline surging through his veins. He felt his muscles tense, and fear course with it as he realized that there was no way he could either fight his potential opponent or run for safety. He shifted a little and saw that the person coming through the door was the girl the avatar was traveling with... what was her name...

Katara.

Katara spoke, her voice surprisingly firm. "No funny business or I swear I'll leave you in the ocean to drown." She punctuated this with a threatening dagger of ice.

Zuko scowls, forcing his fear back and urging anger to replace it. "Like I can do anything tied up like a chicken-pig." It still comes out a little scared, and Katara's face softens.

"If I untie your feet, you have to follow me. Try to make a run for it and-"

"You'll toss me in the ocean. I heard you the first time," Zuko mutters, but stretches out his legs so she can cut the rope. She gives him an odd look, but uses her bending to slice through them. Zuko clambers to his feet, taking a moment to stretch out his legs before following Katara out into the city.

He would likely never say it allowed, but he finds himself incredibly impressed. The buildings are carved from ice and snow, and eloquent designs decorate many of them. Great canals cut paths through the city, and gondolas made of wood and ice float across them. Bridges span over the water, and the sound of laughter and chatter as the waterbenders work to rebuild what the fire nation has destroyed fills the air and the space around them. No one spares a look for Zuko, trailing after Katara as they approach what must be the center of the city; a large palace that towers above everything else.

They enter the main hall, and standing at the forefront of it is a man that Zuko assumes is the Northern Tribe's chief. He has a grim look on his face, and beside him stands yet another familiar face, on that Zuko has followed across the world...

The avatar, an airbender by the name of Aang.

The chief speaks, and his voice booms across the hall. It reminds Zuko all too much of his father.

"Zuko, banished Prince of the Fire Nation. By breaking into our city, and for crimes committed against the Avatar and his companions, we would normally have you either killed or locked away for the rest of you life as punishment," the chief begins, glancing at Aang and Katara as he speaks, "but the Avatar has convinced me to merely remove you from the tribe. You will accompany the Avatar on our ship until you reach the Earth Kingdom, at which point you will be allowed to go free."

"That's it?!" There is another boy, standing off to the side of the hall. He looks to be Zuko's age, with dark skin and hair, and bright blue eyes. "This lunatic chases us across the world for- for months and he just gets set free?!"

The chief holds up a hand, quieting the boy. "I was not finished, Sokka. While aboard the ships, Zuko will be expected to earn his keep. He will work, from dawn to dusk, until the ship docks on Earth Kingdom shores. Captain Zikri will determine what that work is, and you are to obey his every command. Fail to follow through, and he will decide your punishment." Zuko doesn't respond, merely glares down at his feet. The chief sighs, and turns towards the avatar, focusing his attention on Aang. "This ship will leave in two days. Until then, you and your friends are welcome to enjoy everything the Northern Water Tribe has to offer."

Aang thanks the chief, and someone that isn't Katara escorts him back to the small house he was staying in before. Though they do take the time to remove all the rope, they lock him into the room, leaving Zuko on his own with his thoughts.


	4. Chapter 4

Katara finds Zuko still awake when she goes to check that he is still where she left him. Unable to sleep, Zuko sits and stares up at the waning moon through the small window provided to him. He barely glances Katara's way when she opens the door.

"I thought the Fire Nation rose and slept with the sun?" she comments, crossing her arms and frowning at the prince.

Zuko merely shrugs. "Never slept all that well," he admits, before turning his gaze back to the moon.

Katara stares at him for a moment, before saying, "come with me for a moment."

Zuko shoots her a look. "You think I trust you?"

Katara shakes her head and smirks. "Not at all. But I want to test something, and besides, I imagine you have nothing better to do."

Zuko sighs, but ultimately relents. Katara leads him out into the night, and Zuko is immediately surprised to see that the city is still very active. As the moonlight illuminates the canals and reflects off the ice, the people of the Northern Water Tribe bustle about, laughing and trading and honing their crafts. Many of them shout greetings towards Katara, who returns them readily even as she drags Zuko through the streets and out of the city, down towards a sheet of ice that spans out into the ocean before breaking up and floating away. They get about halfway out onto the ice before Katara stops and let's go of Zuko's hand. Zuko quietly thinks that he could make a run for it, but realizes he'd probably just end up frozen somewhere in the tundra. Instead, he turns and waits for Katara to say something.

The girl smiles mischievously at him, then says, "lay down on the ice."

"You're trying to kill me," Zuko says, but there isn't any real heat behind it.

Katara has the audacity to laugh at him. "I'm not going to kill you. Here, I'll do it too." True to her word, Katara lays down on the ice on her stomach, and though Zuko rolls his eyes, he follows suit. "Now, press your ear to the ice and listen." Zuko opens his mouth to object, but if looks could kill...

Zuko does as he's told.

At first, he hears nothing. Just silence, and maybe the frost starting to grow on his ears, but he can't tell what he's supposed to be listening for. He's about to sit up and tell Katara that this is ridiculous and that he'd very much like to go back to his marginally warmer little cell, but then something... speaks.

No... It _sings_.

Somewhere, deep below the ice, Zuko hears an unearthly tone. Like a voice, calling up from the ocean for him. It echoes across the glacier, and the unearthly sound sends shivers up through Zuko's spine. If he listens hard enough he can almost make out what the voice is trying to say... But he can't quite grasp it. He feels so strongly that something, some _one_ is desperately trying to reach out to him, to make him understand...

But he can't understand. He doesn't know what the lyrics of the unearthly melody is. So he pulls back from the ice, trying not to look visibly disappointing.

"So? What did you hear?" Katara asks, face alight with interest.

Zuko considers lying. Telling her that he heard nothing, maybe the water against the ice, but nothing else... But for some reason, the earnest look in the girl's face reminds him so _much_ of his little sister, that he knows he could never lie.

"I heard... a kind of song, I guess. Like someone below the ice was singing to me."

Katara's eyes widen, and she goes to say something when the sound of another voice carries over the ice.

"Katara! Where are you?! Are you alright?"

And then Sokka is there, and he's accusing Zuko of kidnapping her while Katara tries to explain that she dragged them both out there, but Sokka is hearing none of it. And so Zuko is bound again, and dragged back to the Northern Water Tribe, with that unearthly song still echoing in his mind...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's what inspired what Zuko hears on the ice; https://youtu.be/Qd-CwJa1SHE
> 
> It's a real sound, found in nature, though it's used in a very different way here. In real life, it's the sound of ice cracking over a deep lake. The sound waves reverberate through the water to create the noises heard in the video. Here, however, Zuko describes it almost like hearing a distant voice, but can't make out the words.


	5. Chapter 5

Zuko hates the ship. He hates Captain Zikri. He hates being called _cabin boy_ by the others on the ship. He hates that the others get to eat smoked meats and fish, or dried sea prunes, and he gets hardtack. He hates everything about this.

Except for the nights.

At night, it is quiet and he is alone with the changing moon and open ocean. It reminds him of summers spent on Ember Island, of music nights on the ship with Uncle, of running across the docks and watching the ships take out into the open water. At nights, when it is only Zuko and the water, he feels almost like he is home again.

It is one of these nights when things begin to change.

They are almost a week into their journey, and Zuko is out on the deck in the cold air, gnawing on the end of a piece of hardtack and waiting to see if he can spot any whales breaching. He managed to see a few the first night of their journey, and he keeps an eye out for them again every night as he eats his "dinner". He thinks he might have spotted one, and squints through the dark, cursing his bad vision and the long hair that fell in his eyes when he wore it down in the evening. Just as he thinks he sees the back of a large whale on top of the waves, someone taps him on the shoulder.

He whips around, startled and a little angry, to see Aang standing just behind him, a plate of food in hand. It's piled high with smoked salmon, and salted sea prunes, and seal jerky. Real, genuine food. Not the hardtack he's been eating for a weak. Zuko doesn't say anything, merely blinks at him.

Aang blushes a bit and shrugs. "I don't eat meat, but Soka keeps trying to get me to eat it... so instead of wasting it, I thought maybe you'd like it?" Seeing the startled look on Zuko's face, the young airbender quickly backtracks; "unless you're also a vegetarian! In which case, if you're hungry, I have some tofu too! I thought, you'd basically just been eating hardtack for a week and might want something actually, y'know, _substantial_."

Zuko is awkward normally. He doesn't like socializing very much; he always says the wrong thing at the wrong time. The combination of this awkward behavior and Zuko's temper have long kept many people at bay... so to have someone openly approach him, offer him something simply because they were concerned about him? The only person to ever do that was his uncle. But here was the avatar, who Zuko had hunted down for ages, standing in front of him with a plate of food, offering it to Zuko because he was worried the man was hungry.

Zuko surprises even himself when he bows and takes the plate from Aang with a soft "thank you".

Aang stays up with him to watch for the whales.

Two nights later, Zuko is up on the deck in the freezing sun, scrubbing uselessly at the wooden planks. Why, exactly, he has to clean up after the sailors' mess when he should just let the ocean do his job for him, is unknown to Zuko. But he's been told to follow Zikri's orders, and this was the order he had been given. Clean vomit off the deck. Disgusting and backbreaking labor, and Zuko hated every second of it. The crew could call him pampered or spoiled all they wanted, that wouldn't make Zuko enjoy the job he was forced to do. It didn't help that his damn hair would _not_ stay in its ponytail. It kept slipping out, and strands fell into his face as he worked. He'd push them back behind his ears, only to have them fall again, often bringing more hair with them.

Zuko was pretty sure they could hear his teeth grinding from the other side of the ship.

He was halfway through his current task when he notices Katara watching him. He pauses in his work and scowls up at her; "come to gloat?"

"No," she mutters, and Zuko ignores her to concentrate on his task, thinking she'll leave any moment.

She doesn't. Instead, she watches him struggle for a few more minutes before blurting out "can I braid your hair?"

Zuko drops the brush and gives her an incredulous look. "You want to... what?"

"Well, it's just so long and it keeps falling in your face and it looks so soft and it's been so long since I've been with anyone who had hair long enough and would let me and-"

Zuko merely gapes at her. She wants to what? She thinks it looks _what?_ But, he thinks, Katara is right. It is getting rather long and it does keep falling in his face... so Zuko sighs and pushes the brush to the side, before turning to Katara and muttering "sure."

Katara grins and grabs him by the arm, dragging him to a different part of the ship. There are a few chairs here, and most of them are empty, except for one, where Sokka sits, sharpening his boomerang. He glares as Zuko approaches, then turns to look at Katara. "What's _he_ doing over here?"

"I'm doing him a favor. If you're going to be grumpy go do it somewhere else," Katara says, sitting in one of the chairs and pushing Zuko down so that he's kneeling in front of her. SHe frowns at his hair, then turns to Sokka and says, "can you grab my brush?"

Sokka mutters something as he wanders off, but comes back only a minute later after Katara has Zuko's hair down, and hands her the brush before sulking off to find a different spot to sharpen his weapons. Katara merely smiles and shakes her hand, and then begins the tedious work of unknotting Zuko's hair. It takes her far longer than it reasonably should, and normally Zuko would just wrench the brush through till it doesn't meet any more resistance and he's ripped half his hair out, but Katara is... gentle. She takes her time with each knot, and begins to talk while she does it.

She tells Zuko stories of their adventures. She tells him about how they found Momo, about the mail system in Omashu. But she also tells him about her home, and the more she talks, the guiltier Zuko feels. There's a question nagging at the back of his head, and Zuko can't help but ask...

"What about your necklace? It's clearly important to you."

Katara pauses, glancing up from where she's separating his hair into three different strands, then smiles and gently touches the pendant. "It was my mother's. It's... all I have to remember her by."

And Zuko understands that all too well. He's quiet, then admits, "I wish I had something like that."

Katara looks at him in surprise. "You lost your mother?"

Zuko nods, feeling his throat tighten the way it always does when he talks about his mom. "Yeah. She... left, when I turned eleven. Woke me up in the middle of the night, told me she loved me and then left. I haven't seen her since. She was-" he can't continue. The pain, the anguish of the loss feels like it's going to overwhelm him, even five years later.

Katara seems to understand, and she gently reaches out and squeezes Zuko's hand, before starting the braid and changing the subject, launching into a story of Sokka's failed hunting expedition.

Sokka takes the longest to warm up to him.

They're on the last leg of their journey, only two days away from Earth Kingdom mainland, and Zuko is beginning a silent list of things he wants or needs to buy before making his way to Ba Sing Se, where his uncle is (hopefully) waiting. He needs new clothes, and a waterskin, and some amount of food. He wants a new set of broadswords, a pair of sturdy boots, and spark rocks to make a fire at night. He knows that all of this is unlikely, but he's more than willing to work for it.

Zuko's just clambered back down from the rigging after trimming the ship's sails, when he spots Sokka trying to fight with a sword he must have borrowed from one of the other men. His form is... Okay, it's terrible. His stance isn't wide enough, and he's holding it awkwardly, and after training with the best swordsman in the entire Fire Nation for five years Zuko absolutely _cannot stand_ watching Sokka fumble like this. So, instead of waiting for whatever menial task Zikri decides to give him, he approaches Sokka instead.

"You're holding it wrong."

Sokka jumps about a mile, fumbling with the sword, and turns on his heel to face Zuko, a furious blush on his face. "Oh yeah?! You think you can do better?"

And who is Zuko to refuse a challenge? So the prince smirks and easily slips the sword from Sokka's loose grasp. He turns and plants his feet solidly on the wood, shifting his weight to the balls of his feet as he adjusts his grip around the unfamiliar hilt. He notices that Sokka is attempting to ignore him, but paying close attention all the same. Zuko can't help but smile as he begins to move through his basic stances.

"A sword isn't just a weapon or a tool. It's an extension of your body, of your arm. It moves with you; every move you make is one the sword must make too, otherwise, you're too stiff and the sword is easily knocked from your grasp," Zuko begins, and though he's quoting Piandao practically word for word, Sokka doesn't seem to notice or care. In fact, he's openly watching Zuko's technique now.

Zuko goes through a few more of his positions, giving advice the whole way through, before returning the blade to Sokka. Sokka takes it and begins to mimic the position he saw Zuko in. Zuko occasionally offers something he should change, a way to improve, and Sokka takes it to heart every time. To his surprise, by the time supper is ready, Sokka is joking around with him like he does with his sister and Aang.

Zuko is invited to sit with them for dinner that night, and he feels lighter than he has in years. He feels... at home, _welcome_.

Almost... loved.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a very brief allusion to non-consensual relationships in the second paragraph. Nothing is ever outright stated, but it is there. Read with caution, please.

Zuko had never been more grateful to see land. Hoping off the ship and onto the village's dock, he stretched and looked up into the clouds, the wind gently catching a lock of hair that had managed to slip out of his braid. He was an experienced sailor, and though he was very accustomed to being on the water by now, there was always something relieving about the solid ground beneath his feet. It seemed he wasn't the only one; everyone seemed relieved to be off the ship and onto the shore. As Zuko took a moment to gather his bearings, he noticed Captain Zikri approaching Aang, Sokka, and Katara. He handed them something and then seemed to say goodbye, before turning to give orders to his men, and Zuko was incredibly grateful that he wasn't among their number any longer.

Zuko turned to look out into the village and felt his heart sink. It was a small trading village, and he knew immediately that it would be difficult to find work. He knew some would take pity on him due to his scar, or see his eyes and assume he was... a "product" of the war. Ever since his mother had left, he had grown to hate the unique color of his eyes; a gentle, sea green. His mother had told him that it reminded her of the waters in the summer and that he should be proud to be different. After she was gone? It became yet another fault of his, another thing that was impossible for his father to see past. Another reason that Azula was the superior sibling.

Zuko was so wrapped up in his thoughts and worries that he didn't notice the avatar's group behind him until he happened to glance over his shoulder. He startled so bad he nearly fell off the dock.

Zuko raised an eyebrow at them, "can I help you lot with anything?"

Aang glanced over his shoulder at his friends, who both nodded. "We were wondering if you'd like to come with us to Omashu? It seemed like you had no where else to go..."

Zuko glances over his shoulder, into the village, and sighs. "I... need to get to Ba Sing Se. My Uncle told me he would meet me there."

Aang looks a little dejected, then suddenly brightens up. "Come with us to Omashu anyway! I've never visited Ba Sing Se, and it would be good to learn what we can about the ongoing war and meet the Earth King! You can travel with us on Appa till then."

Zuko frowns down at the nomad. "You would trust me to come with you? After all I did?" He thinks his voice might have cracked there, but pushes it to the back of his mind.

Sokka steps forward and lays a hesitant hand on Zuko's shoulder. "Over the last few weeks you've kinda... changed our minds? Before we thought you were just another soldier, working on behalf of the Fire Nation, but after actually getting to know you, it's clear that you've been a victim of them just as much as anyone." Sokka's gaze lingers, his eyes connected with Zuko, who suddenly feels shy, his cheeks flushing.

"I don't know what to say..." Zuko whispers, and his voice definitely breaks there.

Katara smiles at him. "Nothing. Now, let's all stock up before we start; we have a long way to go before we reach Omashu!"


	7. Chapter 7

Turns out, there's a bit of a pitstop before they reach the city of Omashu. An Earth Kingdom military base, where Aang is to meet with one of the Earth Kingdom's great generals, General Fong... who Zuko immediately recognizes. Given that he once threw a dagger at the man in a rather heated land battle.

Zuko lost that fight. By quite a lot.

Luckily, Fong seems to recognize that Zuko is friends with the Avatar and gives him a pass, before launching into some speech about the Avatar State, and defeating the Firelord as soon as possible and that they should strike now--

"I'm sorry, you want to _what_ _?!_ " Zuko doesn't mean to interrupt, really he doesn't, but the idea is so ludicrous that he has to. Fight his father? Aang has barely mastered waterbending, and still knows nothing about fire or earth!

Fong turns an icy glare on the prince. "You heard me. The Avatar State has unlimited power! If we can control it, it'll be simple to defeat the fire nation. Although," Fong's glare morphs into a cruel smirk, "maybe it's prince might have some objections?"

Something about that smirk... Zuko is certain he can feel his scar burning. "I... excuse me," Zuko mutters, before pushing past someone and heading into the building.

He hasn't the slightest idea where he's going. His right eye seems to have stopped functioning, and he feels as though he has been left wandering completely blind. He finally stumbles out into a small, empty courtyard, and he falls to his knees before a small fountain, burying his face in his hands and trying desperately to hold back old emotions and older tears. He misses his mom, he misses his home, he misses his uncle, he misses-

He misses feeling like he can control his own life.

He's so lost in the tide of emotions within him that he doesn't hear the footsteps approaching behind him, doesn't know he is no longer alone as his tears slip down his face, landing in the pool of water.

"Zuko?"

His head shoots up and he desperately tries to wipe away the tears before turning around to face Sokka. "I-I'm fine-! Really, I'm okay!"

Sokka looks very much like he doubts that. But instead of merely shrugging and turning away like Zuko was expecting him to, he kneels next to him and holds his arms open with a sad little smile. Zuko stares at him for a moment, until something breaks and he rushes forward into Sokka's arms, openly sobbing. It has been _so long_ since someone held him like this, so long since had openly cried. And Sokka says nothing, just holds him tight and lets him cry and mutter something nonsensical.

As Zuko's sobs begin to subside, he hears Sokka mutter, "you have really pretty eyes."

And for the first time in three years, Zuko laughs. It is small, and broken, and uncertain. But it is genuine.

"So do you."


	8. Chapter 8

Zuko is incredibly grateful to leave the Earth Kingdom base behind, and head towards Omashu where they are to meet with Aang's old friend, King Bumi. After what happened with the Avatar State, and Aang's reaction afterward, Zuko agrees that it's best to simply leave it all behind and in the past. It's with a great deal of relief when those walls are completely out of sight.

The next few days are rather... interesting. The next time they land, they are accosted by a group of singng nomads, who insist that they take a Secret Tunnel to Omashu through the mountains, and though the group initially declines and attempts to fly the last leg of the journey, an air attack by the Fire Nation changes their mind. Into the tunnel they go! It takes all day to get through, and it is a day that Zuko has decided will be blocked permanently from his memory. There's singing, and happiness, and badger-moles and Zuko decides he will die a happy man if he never has to go through anything like that again. But what's waiting on the other side of the tunnel almost makes Zuko turn around and go right back in...

The Fire Nation has conquered Omashu.

Their banners hang from the walls, and their flags from the tallest buildings. At one point, Zuko would have felt a great deal of pride at seeing one of the Earth Kingdom's great cities under the heel of his nation, but after seeing the Fire Nation's cruelty and disregard for life at the North Pole? Now it makes Zuko feel slightly ill.

Katara tries to convince them to move on, to head for Ba Sing Se, and leave Omashu behind, but Aang is determined to rescue his friend. And so, in the dead of night, they slip into the city through the sewers, which leaves most of them covered from head-to-toe in sludge and pentapuses (Pentapus? Pentapusi??). Sokka panics, and though Aang is able to get them off, it leaves most of their skin covered in little red markings. Upon stepping out, Zuko spots a handful of wanted posters. Four of them are for the group standing before them, including Zuko. It seems the man has been permanently dubbed a traitor. He feels a sinking feeling in his chest, accompanied by a strange lightness. This confirms what he has practically already known all this time; he will never be welcome back to the Fire Nation. Zuko takes a deep breath and then turns away from the posters. Just then, a Fire Nation guard rounds the corner and frowns at them. This is where the pentapus marks come in handy; they're able to convince the guard that they are a contagious disease, and he merely tells them to go home.

They, of course, don't. Instead, they climb up onto some scaffolding out of view of the guards' lanterns, when Zuko hears a voice drift up from the streets below.

"Ugh, I'm so bored. This place is so bleak and empty... And I was getting sick of life in the Fire Nation."

It can't be... can it?

"Enjoy your time here, Mai! Your father has been appointed Governor by Fire Lord Ozai himself, and we're treated practically like royalty here."

It is. Zuko takes a step closer to the edge of the scaffolding to peer down into the shadows and the others pause just behind him.

"Ex-girlfriend?" Katara jokes, seeing the way Zuko's face twists with recognition.

"Sort of. I was supposed to marry her, back before I was banished," Zuko mutters, before taking a step back from the ledge.

Sokka leans over to get a glance. "She seems... depressing. Pretty, though."

"She was happier when we were kids."

Zuko is about to continue down the path when a small rock suddenly falls in front of him. He glances up to see a handful of earthbenders standing above them. One nods, and a pile of boulders suddenly goes crashing down towards Mai, her mother, and their retinue of guards. Aang, the good samaritan that he is, blocks the rock-alanche with his airbending, but it's all the same to the Fire Nation below.

"The resistance!" Mai's mother cries, and the guards spring into action, as does Mai herself.

She reaches her hand into her sleeves, then flicks her wrist, sending three sharp knives flying towards them. Using a discarded plank of wood, Zuko manages to stop them, then tugs one out and sends it flying into the shoulder of one of the guards, who howls in pain as they take off across the scaffolding and scale their way to the top of the wall, Mai following close behind. Zuko is certain that she will catch up to them when the ground beneath their feet suddenly collapses, and they find themselves in the hideout of Omashu's resistance, led by a man named Yung.

And together, they concoct what has to be one of the strangest plans Zuko has ever heard.

WIthin the space of a day, they manage to remove every citizen still loyal to King Bumi from the city, using only a bucket of Pentapi (???? Zuko really needs to learn what the plural of these things are) and some well-staged groans. Of course, while the plan seems to have gone off without a hitch, that evening they discover a straggler... Mai's little brother, Tom-Tom. His discovery is quickly followed by a messenger hawk, offering an exchange; the toddler, who Yung believes will grow to be a murderer, for King Bumi.

They should've known it was too good to be true.

They show up for the exchange and Zuko shouldn't be surprised, they were thick as thieves back in the day, but he is.

Azula calls off the exchange, and it's followed by a series of fights, and a wild goose chase through the city. Aang ends up somewhere in Omashu, and Sokka and Katara are distracted by Mai and Ty Lee, and it's just Zuko and Azula.

Just Zuko... and Azula.

And as Zuko looks into his sisters brown eyes, hard as stone and twice as cold, he feels his life in the Fire Nation slip out of his grasp. And he reaches up, dagger in hand, and cuts off his braid. He tosses it at Azula's face and her expression contorts; somewhere between anger and... betrayal? As Zuko turns and leaps off the wall, onto Appa's back, Azula burns the braid in her hand.

Zuko reaches up to brush his fingers along the shorn ends of his hair. He silently hands Katara his dagger, and she uses it to even the strands into a much neater hair cut.

The missing weight of his hair does little to lift the weight of the stars from his shoulders.


	9. Chapter 9

The last few days had been... chaotic, to say the least. They had gotten lost in a swamp that gave them all incredibly odd visions (Sokka of Yue, Katara of her mother, Aang of some little girl, and Zuko of an elderly man he had never met), investigated a murder and found evidence that Kyoshi wasn't the perpetrator, only for her to show up and say, "yeah I killed the guy", followed by a fight with Zuko's least favorite of his father's cronies; the Rough Rhinos. Now, Zuko was merely grateful to have stopped for the night at a kind farmer's homestead.

It was situated on the edge of a mighty forest, and when Zuko had wandered into the edge to collect firewood, he thought he heard the sound of a rushing river. When he questioned the woman who owned the property, she confirmed it.

"Aye, the river's been there longer than the forest. Old stories say it was carved into the land by an angry spirit," she says meaningfully that evening, as Zuko helps her in the kitchens.

They're all sitting in the parlor, having one final cup of tea before bed, when Aang and Katara manage to beg the elderly woman for the story behind the river. It doesn't take much convincing before she sets her cup of tea down and smiles over them, a mysterious look in her eyes.

"A long, long time ago... Before the spirit world and our world were separated, there was an empty valley. Nothing for miles but swaying grass and wind. Within this valley lived a spirit who danced on the breeze, rustling the grass and shouting songs into the open sky. This spirit was known to be relatively kind, provided that you didn't wrong it in any way, shape, or form. Well, one day, the spirit fell into a deep slumber, and as it did, the winds calmed and people moved in. The land was fertile, they discovered, and easy to farm.

"So, they set up a village in the center of the valley. And over time, it grew into a large town, known for its agriculture. Many people would stop there to trade, before moving on. It was one of the traders who awakened the spirit of the valley by accident... The spirit flew into the town, but instead of being angry for their desecration of it's land, it welcomed the humans with open arms, introducing itself as Fa Lien. Fa Lien watched the humans farm but warned them not to make the town any bigger, least they destroy it's home.

"But the humans soon used up all the space Fa Lien had granted them and were eager to expand and grow. So, late one night, they began sowing farmland farther out... and in the process, they destroyed the sacred section of grass that Fa Lien had claimed as it's place of rest. Fa Lien was furious; it had granted the humans it's land, only for them to take more than they were given. In its anger, Fa Lien split the valley in two; one side occupied by the humans, with the lesser soil, and the other meant only for itself and nature. It rained for ten days and ten nights, and in the end, a river coursed through the center of the valley.

"Years past, and the humans abandoned the town. It became nothing more than ruins, and eventually, Fa Lien left this world. After it left, the winds subsided, and soon, trees took over the once empty valley. The town has now been completely claimed by the woods, but the river that splits this valley in two serves as a reminder not to take more than what life gives you."

Zuko thinks on the tale late that night, as he listens to Aang snore and stares at the ceiling. He's sharing a room with the young Avatar, while Katara and Sokka (being siblings and living in the same igloo for years) share the other spare room. It was clearly not as old as the farmer made it out to be; the tale is no doubt an allegory for the Fire Nation and the war, a way to make things simpler for children. The Fire Nation has a similar story, though theirs is more about defeating evil monsters to keep everyone safe. But he can't stop thinking about it, running the tale through his mind over and over, trying to find some way to make sense of it.

Finally, after tossing and turning for what feels like hours, Zuko gives up. He turns to face the window, and the light streaming into the room from the full moon. He stands, and walks over to the window, leaning onto the sill and letting the cool breeze ruffle his hair and kiss his skin, mindless of his scar. His eyes reflect the gentle white light and Zuko feels, as he has in the past, the compulsion to step outside so he can stand fully in the moonlight.

He doesn't bother to fight it tonight, creeping quietly through the house until he stands just outside, arms outstretched as he inhales the fresh air into his lungs. He lets his intuition guide him, and without really noticing, he comes to the bank of the river. It's much stiller in the night, and the rushing of it is gone, replaced instead with a gentle stream. He kneels down to look cautiously at his reflection. Seafoam eyes, one ringed by an old scar, stare back out at him, young and bright. Zuko quietly wonders just how long it's been since he actually looked like this; like a teenager, and not a soldier.

He's about to rise from where he's crouching when he hears footsteps from behind him. He whips around, feet shifting into an automatic defensive position, to see that it's just Katara. She smiles softly at him as he drops his stance.

"Couldn't sleep?" she asks, and Zuko shakes his head. They look out over the water, and Zuko feels the familiar pang of curiousity.

He turns to her and asks, "that night, in the North Pole. Before we left, and you asked me to listen to the ice... you said you were testing something?"

Katara hesitates for a long moment, then sighs. "Zuko, does the Fire Nation have a way to test whether someone is a firebender or not?"

Zuko blinks in surprise. He wasn't sure what he was expecting but it wasn't... whatever this is. "Of course. It's called the spark; a sort of ring around the pupil that appears during the day under full sun. It's supposedly the color of fire, and very subtle. Azula's is very prominent, and I don't have on at all. You can see it in Aang's eyes if you watch for it." An idea comes to him then, one that he feels settle like a stone in the pit of his stomach. "... why do you ask?"

Katara bites her lip. "I meant to tell you that night, I really did, but then Sokka interrupted and-"

"That was the waterbending test, wasn't it?" Zuko says, cutting her off as his heart hammers in his chest.

"... yes."

Zuko dreads what's coming next. There's no way. He's Fire Nation, he's their _prince_. He's not even a bender, but the idea of-- he'd be chased for the rest of his life. The Fire Nation will do everything in their power to snuff him out before he could strike. But he forces the words out, "I passed, didn't I?"

Katara turns and looks him dead in the eyes this time. "Yes. Ive never heard of the test being wrong before, which means that you're..." she takes a deep breath, but before she can continue Zuko finishes the thought for her.

"... a waterbender?"


	10. Chapter 10

Zuko doesn't faint. He is a prince and a soldier, and he does. _Not._ _FAINT!_

Except the fact that he reawakens half an hour later, still on the bank of the river, tells him that okay... Maybe he fainted. Just a little.

Katara looks incredibly concerned, and Aang is crouching next to him. Both look relieved when he blinks his eyes open, and he thinks Aang is trying to tell him something because he's looking at Zuko and his lips are moving... But Zuko can't pay attention. He's too focused on what he sees above him.

Because... it can't be... Can it?

The moon is full, and its light invigorates Zuko, shining down on him and feeding something inside him. This is normal. He is used to feeling this way under the full moon. What is definitely not normal is the painfully familiar and beautiful young woman floating ethereally in front of the moon, smiling down at him. He squints, but the vision doesn't go away. He even blinks once or twice, trying to clear his already awful vision, but the woman remains. And then a name comes to mind, and Zuko whispers...

"Princess Yue?"

And Yue reaches down, resting her hand on Zuko's chest and he feels that thing inside him, that's been there as long as he can remember, grow and flourish and open like the rare flowers in his mother's gardens, like Azula's laughter on the rooftop, like his Uncle's open arms, like the iceberg Aang was trapped in, like Sokka's mind, like Katara's kindness and passion... Zuko clenches his fist, and the river responds; the water forces itself to stop, just by his hand, twisting and turning and waiting to be used, responding to the slightest twitch of his fingers.

Zuko smiles and releases the water, listening to the crash of it as the river flows again.

He's free.


	11. Chapter 11

"Why did I volunteer for this?" Sokka mutters, ringing water out of his shirt while Zuko stands in the spring, his hands still raised slightly.

"Sorry," Zuko says sheepishly, dropping his hands to his sides. "I could try pulling the water out of your clothes?"

Sokka waves his hand with a sigh, and droplets of water go flying, reflecting the starlight. "Nah, I always get soaked whenever I'm near waterbending. Guess that sucks for me, given that I'm the only non-waterbender of our group."

Zuko thinks about pointing out that Sokka is the only non _bender_ of their group altogether, but thinks better of it. It's never bothered him that Sokka couldn't bend, especially given that he's spent the last sixteen years of his own life believing he had no bending powers. It was only a few weeks ago that he awoke to see Yue on that riverbank, and learned that there was far more to him than he was led to believe. The discovery of his waterbending brought about a million different questions; where did the power come from? Was it hereditary or a blessing from a spirit? Did Yue herself grant him that ability? How did he, prince of the Fire Nation, end up as a waterbender? Why was his sister a firebender? If he froze Sokka's socks, what would be the consequence? Really, his curiosity was boundless when it came to the subject of his bending.

But so far, he'd had no opportunity to learn more about the origins of his powers, and instead learned more about how to use them. Early on, Katara had expressed delight at how quick of a learner Zuko had been, and Aang had suggested that he might be a pretty powerful bender. Zuko insisted that it was merely because he was a good study and that he had good teachers. Despite this, here he was in the middle of the night, practicing as Sokka kept watch. The last thing anyone wanted was for Azula and her crew to get the jump on them.

"Are you about done yet?" Sokka asks, squinting up at the sky, devoid of a moon tonight. "I'm getting kinda tired..."

"Almost," Zuko insists, as he carefully forms a sphere of water in his hands, biting his bottom lip in concentration. "I just wanna see if I can freeze this all the way through..."

Sokka frowns at the ball of water. "What is it with you and freezing things? Isn't being able to make water go where you want enough?"

Zuko sighs, and tries to refocus. He thinks he can see a layer of frost forming... "Sure, but one of the major skills a waterbender can learn involves ice. I can use it for defense, offense, and practical usage. And so far, it's been the hardest part of waterbending for me to master."

"Could it be because you grew up in the Fire Nation?"

Zuko glances over at Sokka, and almost immediately knows that he really shouldn't have done that because all of his concentration is instantly lost.

He wasn't kidding, that night at the fountain when he told Sokka he had pretty eyes. He really _did_ have pretty eyes; a shade of blue that reflected his surroundings like a deep pool of water. And now? They were reflecting the night sky as he gazed up. Sokka's eyes held more than just his thoughts and emotions; they seemed to hold the universe. The light of every star and the deepness of the sky seemed to reverberate in Sokka's eyes. But there was so much more than that; there was the strands of hair that fell into his face from his wolf tail, the way his lips pulled downwards as he focused on the sky, trying to read the time, the broadness of his shoulders and strength in his chest and back and arms...

Zuko's sphere of water falls back into the spring, and Sokka turns to look at him, raising an eyebrow. Zuko manages to stutter out something about the time, and then turns and darts back to camp, hoping the flush of his face is hidden by the dark of night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Toph will be in the next chapter, I promise. I just wanted to play around with Zuko's waterbending, and start to establish the fact that yes, this is also a Zukka fic.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a bit dialogue heavy, so sorry in advance!

Visiting Gaoling's market was... probably a bad idea. Even if they did have leftover money from the Northern Water Tribe, that didn't change the fact that they probably shouldn't be buying anything frivolous. Maybe Zuko's intuition comes from being stuck on a ship, banished from the only place he's ever called home for three years with a very limited amount of money that was used primarily for food. Maybe it comes from the fact that they still hadn't resupplied.

Or maybe it was just because someone thought Sokka should carry some of the money.

"If you like it so much, you should get it."

"I don't know..."

"Or you could spend the money on, y'know, _food_ _?_ " Zuko mutters, crossing his arms and frowning in the direction of the stalls where Katara is shopping.

"We have plenty of leftover money, Zuko," Aang points out kindly. "We can actually afford nice things."

"I'm surprised you're making a fuss about this. Aren't you kind of... royalty?" Sokka points out, turning away from the bag.

"I _was_ royalty. Then I was a soldier. Now I am a traitor and refugee. And refugees don't waste money." With that, Zuko turns and stalks towards the food stalls next to Katara.

Sokka turns to Aang, who merely shrugs before they both glance worryingly over at their friend. As they move to join them, a man leans over and taps Aang on the shoulder. "Hey, do you kids like earthbending? You like throwing rocks?" Aang and Sokka exchange looks, before shrugging and nodding. "Then check out Master Yu's earthbending academy!" He hands Aang a flyer, and he flips it over as the man walks away. 

"Hey look, there's a coupon on the back! The first lesson is free!"

"This could be the earthbending teacher you're looking for!" Katara says, and Aang is quick to run off to find the place.

"Could you find me a waterbending master while you're at it?" Zuko calls after him. "Or at least another scroll?" Aang is too far away to hear him, and Zuko merely sighs and watches him run off.

"... hey, what's wrong with _my_ teaching?" Katara asks, and Zuko feels the color drain from his face.

"Um, nothing it's just--"

"Just _what?!_ "

Sokka gives him a sympathetic wince, before his attention is once again caught by yet another shop. Zuko and Katara turn to frown after him as he approaches. Katara merely shakes her head fondly, but Zuko purses his lips and crosses his arms before tugging his old cloak closer to him. Katara glances at him with worry in her eyes before following after her brother, trying to insure that he doesn't spend _all_ his money in one place. Zuko turns back to the food stalls and counts out his coppers.

A little while later, they're sitting outside the earthbending academy, waiting for Aang to come out. Sokka is polishing his boomerang, Katara is staring off into space, and Zuko is practicing his waterbending, carefully curling a small amount of water into different shapes in his hand. He thinks he might have a passable turtleduck, when Aang comes out and breaks his concentration. Zuko sighs softly, and returns the water to his waterskin.

"Well, how did it go?" Katara asks, as they stand and look at him.

"Yeah, I don't think it's going to work out."

A couple of boys come out, commenting on something called Earth Rumble Six, and Aang gets up and asks them where it is.

"It's on the island of Nunya..."

"... Nunya business!"

The boys snort and turn away, while Sokka snickers behind them, up until the point Zuko steps on his foot and Katara hurries after them. Less than an hour later, and they're sitting in a large arena, with "front row seats". This turns out to be a bad idea only a couple of minutes later, when they're nearly pelted with a giant boulder and various other, smaller rocks. Zuko bites his lip and leans back, biting down harder when Sokka returns with some sorta fried food, similar to fireflakes.

Seeing his expression, Sokka offers him some, but Zuko merely turns away, looking out at the arena again. Exactly _how_ much of their money had they spent on stuff like this today? It was ridiculous, it was--

"Zuko, can I talk to you real quick?" Aang whispers, and they step a little ways away from where Sokka is cheering loudly and Katara watches on in much quieter interest. "Something seems to be bothering you."

"This is just my face," Zuko replies with as much deadpan as he can manage.

Aang smiles, but it doesn't come across the same. "No, I mean you seem to be bothered by Sokka's spending habits. We have plenty of money, so what's the issue? What's eating at you?"

Zuko bites his lip and turns towards the arena for a moment. "It's just... We have money now, but it's not going to last forever. We'll run out, and then won't be able to afford food or clothes or other supplies, like food for Appa and Momo, or new waterskins in case something happens to the ones we already have or-"

"That's happened to you before, hasn't it?" Aang says quietly, and Zuko nods.

"We ran out of money less than two years into our search. We were unable to find work in any of the colonies; it got so bad that at one point, we boiled leather just to have _something._ I just- I don't want to have to experience that again. I don't want any of you to experience it."

Aang pulls Zuko into a brief hug. "We won't. Sokka may be a bit of a... shopaholic at times, but I can promise he won't spend all our money on frivolities. Now c'mon; let's go watch people chuck rocks around."

Zuko smiles and follows Aang back to their seats. The rest of the tournament passes by in an odd haze, until finally, the Boulder is facing the current champion; the Blind Bandit. And Aang pops up out of his seat with a gasp; "that's her! That's the girl I saw in the swamp!"


	13. Chapter 13

"The Boulder feels conflicted about fighting a young, blind girl."

"Sounds to me like you're scared Boulder!"

Okay, Zuko likes this girl a lot. He thought he had confidence when he was chasing Aang around the world with nothing but a pair of rusty swords and a barely functional ship. But this girl? She trumps that ten times over in her stance alone. Zuko looks at her and he knows that she's going to win. She could be blind and deaf and paralyzed, and she would still find a way to win. Without really thinking about it, he leans closer to the edge of the railing, holding his breath. 

"... the Boulder is over his conflicted feelings."

Zuko was right. The Blind Bandit wins the battle in _seconds_ , and she barely moves the entire time. The boulder is sent flying out of the ring, landing hard in the seats next to him as they stare down at the arena in astonishment. Sokka seems devastated, but Aang and Katara are both ecstatic. And then the host calls out for one last challenge, and Zuko is not at all surprised when Aang volunteers to fight. He is surprised, however, when Aang manages to beat her.

Sokka wears the stupid belt, and he looks so happy about how it matches his stupid bag and he has a huge stupid grin on his face and it lights up his stupid eyes and-

 _Stop that_ , Zuko tells his brain as they trail after a dejected Aang.

They end up asking at the earthbending academy, which leads them to the Beifong family, the richest family in town, and a name that Zuko recognizes.

"Richest in _town_?" Zuko scoffs. "With the exception of the Earth King himself, they Beifongs are the richest family in the Earth Kingdom. You don't know how much time and energy my fa- I mean, the Fire Nation has spent trying to earn their loyalty."

The others shoot him a concerned look. "Did he ever manage to?" Katara asks.

Zuko shakes his head. "No. After a while, the Fire Nation sent assassins to simply dispose of them. None of them ever returned."

A destination in mind, they make their way through Gaoling to the large estate that belongs to the Beifong family. They slip over the walls, and are sneaking through the gardens. Zuko will admit that he might also be searching for any unusual lumps of land, curious as to the fates of his father's assassins. He doesn't see anything, not before they're stopped by a sudden voice.

"What are _you_ doing here, twinkle toes?"

They whip around, and standing in a fine white dress, her hair carefully styled, is the Blind Bandit.

"I was looking for you," Aang says, and Sokka groans.

"Don't answer to twinkle toes it's not manly!"

"You're the one who's bag matches his belt," Zuko points out, and Sokka purposefully ignores him.

Aang and Sokka try to convince the girl to help, and it ends with her calling the guards, who then escort her back to the main house. And as they walk away, Aang's face splits into a mischievous and familiar grin; though the last time Zuko had seen it quite that wide, it had been right before Aang had airbended him off his ship and into freezing waters, so maybe that has something to do with the unsettling chill that runs down his spine.

Thankfully, instead of ice water, they end up dining with the Beifongs.

It is easily the most awkward dinner Zuko has ever attended, even with what must have been hundreds of similar events in his past. He was mostly bored back then, a kid who just wanted to run off and play outside, not be stuck in stuffy clothes, in a stuffy room, with stuffy diplomats. But this time, the air is different. It's tense, and Toph keeps glaring in Aang's direction, and he's fairly certain her mother keeps glancing at him when he's not looking, and he can see the pity in her face.

Toph's father Lao only addresses Zuko once, and Zuko is quick to shut it down. "Are you the Avatar's body guard then?"

Zuko frowns and sets his cup of tea down. It's nowhere near as good as what his uncle makes, and he feels his chest contrict a little at the thought. "Sort of."

"I imagine you were a soldier at one point, on the front lines most likely?"

And Zuko knows why he asks. He knows _exactly_ why he asks. His answer is honest, but he thinks he feels flames licking at his face. "Sort of. I was in the navy."

"I see; I'm surprised you survived, the Fire Nation navy is the most powerful in the world."

Zuko looks up from his tea, makes direct eye contact with Lao Beifong and says, "when did I ever say I survived?"

The tension in the room skyrockets and no one asks Zuko another thing. Toph almost earthbends Aang out of his chair when he insists that she's a great earthbender, and then they finish dessert and before Zuko really knows what's going on, Toph has him by the arm and drags him outside with her. They're walking through the gardens, and Zuko has to force down the pang of homesickness he suddenly feels.

"Why did you drag me out here?" Zuko asks, watching her balance on the railing of the bridge next to him. He's not worried she'll fall.

"Because you're the most interesting," Toph tells him, before jumping down on the other side of the bridge. "What made it obvious to my father that you were a soldier?"

Zuko pauses and glances down at his reflection in the water. "I have a burn scar on my face. It's... really obvious. I can't see hardly anything on that side, and my hearing is pretty bad in that ear too."

"Oh." Toph pauses for a moment then says, "did you survive?"

Zuko raises a hand, and shifts the water so his reflection distorts. "Not at first. It wasn't till I discovered my bending that I realized that I had made it out not only alive, but... intact."

Toph cocks her head, and then smiles a bit. "Waterbender, huh?"

"Yeah, waterbender."

Toph turns to look at him, and then grins. "You seem to use it almost like I use earthbending."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, for you the way you use water is a way to ground yourself, reconnect with the world. I use earthbending in a similar way, only, it allows me to see. I can sense movement, and where things are... like that tree," she points towards a nearby tree, "or you!"

"That's incredible," Zuko whispers.

"My parents don't understand. They've always treated me like I was helpless."

And Zuko understands that feeling all too well. He opens his mouth to tell Toph so, when she grabs his arm and yells, "we're being ambushed!" before dragging him through the gardens... Only for them both to be trapped in metal cages.

Honestly, Zuko isn't even entirely sure how Aang and the others help get them out. He knows that Toph shouts a lot of insults and that at first they only let Toph go... But then Aang says, "what about Zuko?"

And the host grins, before pulling out a poster with his face on it. "I think his father would quite like to be _reunited_ with his only son, don't you?"

The ensuing fight is absolute chaos, but somehow they make it out alive and as they toss their stuff aboard Appa, Zuko thinks that he'll be perfectly happy to never see Gaoling again, when Toph runs up to them, bag in hand, and says, "I'm going with you."

As they rise into the sky, Toph turns to Zuko and says, "I'm sorry you have such an awful dad."

Zuko laughs a little, and leans back into the saddle. "It's okay. He's not really my dad, not anymore. I'm sorry yours doesn't understand you."

"That's okay; you guys understand me and for now? That's enough."


	14. Chapter 14

Zuko's always more than happy to cook for the group. He enjoys the process; it relaxes him. With the sun just below the horizon, and the moon beginning to rise over the trees, Zuko is certain that he could stay in this moment forever. He carefully bends some water into the pot to make a simple stew; they have plenty of supplies for now, but it's been a long day and Zuko doesn't have it in him to cook anything particularly fancy. He does wish he could get the taste of Appa's fur out of his mouth, and it doesn't help that Momo keeps jumping onto his shoulders to try and sneak the ingredients that Zuko is trying to put into the water. He loses two carrots and some potatoes to the lemur before he manages to finish the stew.

Sokka sets some wood down near the fire and pauses for a moment to sit next to him. "That smells good, could I just..."

Zuko bats away the spoon Sokka was attempting to inch towards the pot. "Not yet. It still needs to cook! You can have plenty when it's done," Zuko tells him, before turning to look at the pile of wood next to him. "That firewood pile is looking a little... scant."

Sokka sighs and stands, heading off to the edge of the woods again to gather more wood. Zuko twists around to see Aang feeding Appa and Katara setting up their tents, and Toph doing... not much of anything, really. He frowns but keeps his mouth shut and turns back to his stew, absentmindedly bending little waves in the liquid in the pot. Unfortunately for the peace and quiet of their little group, it seems that Katara has decided _not_ to keep her mouth shut, instead approaching Toph with a rather strained smile.

Luckily, all ends well and toph joins them a couple of minutes later for stew, which Zuko carefully bends into several bowls, earning him a few words of praise for his control from Katara. He smiles at her, and the talk around the dimming fire that evening is warm and friendly, and Zuko wonders how he ever lived without the easy camaraderie they have now.

Zuko's laying down to sleep when Toph wakes them all back up again, saying she can feel something coming. A quick investigation shows a giant machine, and Zuko recognizes it's make even from miles away.

"Fire Nation. Let's get out of here."

And so they all clamber into Appa's saddle and fly off, trying to put as much distance as possible between them and the Fire Nation vehicle. By the time they land again, they're all exhausted, and almost immediately Zuko, Aang, Katara, and Sokka work to set up the tents again. Toph, much like last time, does... nothing. Nothing at all. And this time, Katara's not going to stand for it. The ensuing argument ends up with a stone door slammed in Katara's face as she shouts "SUGAR QUEEN?!" at the offending rock.

Zuko ends up just dropping his blanket somewhere on the ground, and collapsing onto it.

Only a few minutes later, Toph lowers the rock and shouts, "the thing's back!" And so, back onto Appa they go, even more exhausted than they were the last time. At some point, Zuko drifts off and wakes up on Sokka's shoulder. He apologizes profusely, but Sokka merely shrugs and says "I don't mind being a pillow" and Zuko merely turns red and tries to focus on the thing approaching in the distance. He knew that the Fire Nation's technology has flourished under his father, but despite all his knowledge on it, he can't identify what exactly is following them. It looks like one of their tanks but... not.

The next time they land it's on a mountain top, and they don't even try to set up camp. Zuko dumps his blanket practically on top of Sokka without even thinking about it and mutters something along the lines of "You better have been telling the truth earlier" before collapsing on top of the other boy. Sokka merely shifts a little under Zuko's unfamiliar weight but doesn't complain.

Toph and Katara are about to start bickering again when Aang cuts them off. "C'mon guys, there's something after us and we don't even know who or what it is."

"Could be Zuko again, he did follow us across the world," Sokka jokes.

"I'm literally lying on top of you right now."

"What about your freaky sister?"

Zuko smiles wryly up at the stars. "Don't say that. I need to sleep at night."

Of course, he jinxes it. Minutes later, the thing is back and Aang suggests stopping to meet them, see who they are. In what should not be a surprising twist but somehow still is, Azula and her gal pals come out of it riding mongoose lizards.

"You had to say it was my sister, didn't you? You just had to bring her up!"

It's morning when they're forced to land by Appa's exhaustion. It's not like Zuko's unfamiliar with sleepless nights, but the lack of sleep combined with Katara and Toph's constant bickering and the stress of being chased by his sister across mountains has left them all incredibly irritable, to the point that when Toph points out that it's Appa's shedding that's allowing Azula to follow them, even Aang snaps at her.

And so Toph gathers her things and leaves.

But it's Aang who comes up with a plan. After a vigorous washing of Appa (which Katara has him pretty much do a lone to "improve his skills"), Aang gathers a bag of Appa's fur and flies in the opposite direction fo where their headed, attempting to lead Azula and her group away. It works... partly.

Azula follows Aang. Mai and Ty Lee follow Zuko, Sokka, and Katara.

They inevitably meet up, and Zuko ends up blade to blade with Mai.

"You been practicing?" she hisses, and Zuko winces at the sound of metal on metal.

"I'm always practicing."

"I used to find that attractive," Mai says as she swings one of her daggers up towards Zuko's face. "Your work ethic. Now it's lead nowhere."

Zuko finds himself backed into a tree, having lost one of his broadswords, when he remembers the water skin at his hip. It's dangerous, unveiling his biggest secret here. He knows that the news will find it's way back to his father, and so... he puts all his strength into throwing Mai off, and he and the others chase after Aang.

Toph meets up with them in the same village, and the ensuing fight sends Azula fleeing... but by her smirk alone, Zuko knows she'll be back.


	15. Chapter 15

The spring is... something.

Okay, it's incredibly pathetic and the only thing that makes up for it is pineapple flavored drinks in neat glasses. It helps that Zuko is old enough to order one with a bit of a kick to it, and he may be a bit of a dark guy sometimes, but even he can't deny the appeal of a fruity alcoholic drink. Neither can Sokka, it seems, until he ends up spilling his all over a kindly Earth Kingdom professor from Ba Sing Se. Which leads them to Sokka's "mini-vacation", the spirit library.

How they find it must be some sort of miracle, but it's nothing compared to what they find on the inside. Glorious architecture, and rows and rows of books that stretch back into the darkness further than Zuko could even attempt to see. They barely make it a few steps when the owner of the library, a spirit by the name of Wan Shi Tong, stops them.

"I don't allow humans in my library... not after the last one to access it."

And it's not much of a stretch for Zuko to picture who was the last human to use it. But with some help from the professor and some good old fashioned lying, the spirit begrudgingly grants them access. They spend what feels like hours combing through Fire Nation texts, poems, plays ("Zuko, what are you doing in the theater section?" "I'm, uh, searching for plays about the fall of genocidal leaders?" " _Zuko._ ") and accounts. It isn't until Zuko has managed to smuggle a first edition copy of "Love Amongst the Dragons" that they are lead to a large solarium by one of the knowledge seekers... And Zuko's memory is jogged as they go through dates.

"This day marks a solar eclipse! Seems interesting."

"I wonder if that means anything? I mean, you saw how the eclipse affected the water benders in the North Pole."

"That's it." Zuko whispers, and everyone turns to look at him. "The lunar eclipse takes away Katara and I's waterbending, right? So..."

Sokka grins. "The solar eclipse takes away firebending! Zuko, you're a genius!"

Zuko turns about five different shades of red and grins down at his shoes. "I'm okay, at most."

They spend the next several minutes trying to find the next solar eclipse before Sozin's comet... and bingo. In the second week of summer; a full solar eclipse, which lasts eight minutes and will leave the Fire Nation temporarily helpless.

It's a shame that Wan Shi Tong doesn't agree with their amazing discovery, and instead attempts to kill them all. The professor stays, and the others manage to flee, finding Toph at the top. Alone.

Appa's gone.

They spend the next day searching for Appa in vain, resulting in Sokka going insane off of cactus juice, and a final encounter with a group of sandbenders, who admit that they stole and traded Appa away, saying "he's probably in Ba Sing Se by now!"

And so, with the information about the solar eclipse in hand, they leave the desert, and Zuko feels a flutter of something that seems to be more and more common lately...

Hope.

He's going to see Uncle again soon, and this time, nothing will stop him.


	16. Chapter 16

It takes two days of hard walking to even get close to the Serpent's Pass, which curls through the largest lake in the Earth Kingdom. On their way, they meet up with a few other travelers; a man and his pregnant wife, plus his sister. When they explain their plans to the three, the pregnant woman, Ying, cries out in alarm.

"The Serpent's Pass? That route's supposed to by incredibly dangerous! Why don't you kids come with us to Full Moon Bay? There's a ferry there that takes refugees across the lake and into the city."

Aang turns to the others and shrugs. "I'd much prefer to be safe on a ferry then lost in some pass."

"Alright then," Sokka says with a grin, "Full Moon Bay it is!"

When they arrive, Aang sprints up to the desk to ask for five tickets to board the ferry. The woman running it gives him a cold look and says, "passports?"

"Uh... I'm the avatar?"

She scoffs, and gestures towards a group of kids dressed as Air Nomads. "Join the club..."

Aang sighs and turns to leave when Toph stops him. "I got this." She walks up to the counter and slaps down a Beifong family document. The woman's eyes widen, and she hands over five tickets, stammering all the while. Toph comes back and everyone grabs a ticket, celebrating their much easier path to Ba Sing Se. Just as Sokka turns to Zuko, eyes bright, a young female guard walks up and grabs him by the collar.

"Tickets and passports!" she snaps, and Sokka waves his ticket frantically. Katara steps forward, hands up pacifyingly when the girl suddenly grins. "Or I'll ship the whole lot of you back to Kyoshi island!"

Sokka's face lights up as the girl releases him. "Suki! What're you doing here?"

Suki grins and leans back against one of the nearby pillars. "After what happened at Kyoshi island, the other girls and I decided we wanted to be a force of good in the world. Some of us got jobs as guards here at Full Moon Bay!" She spots Zuko, hovering off near Toph's shoulder, and her eyes narrow. "Speaking of what happened at Kyoshi Island..."

Sokka follows her gaze, and then turns to her with a soft smile. "Zuko's on our side now. Turns out he's not such a bad guy, once you get past all the brooding. And get used to frozen socks."

"I only did that once! And I don't brood," Zuko points out, a little offended. But Suki's gaze softens.

"You're a waterbender?" she asks, and Zuko nods. "Well, maybe you aren't so bad after all."

Suddenly a voice calls out from the crowd. "You have to help us! We've lost our tickets and passports, and they won't allow us to board the ferry!" It's the refugees from earlier, and Aang is quick to make a plea on their behalf... A plea which is ignored.

Zuko watches as Aang looks down at his ticket, his face hardening. "We're getting to Ba Sing Se. I'm going to lead us through the Serpent's Pass."

* * *

They make their way from the bay to the entrance of the pass, Suki having joined them and now back in her full Kyoshi uniform. They pause near the entrance, and Zuko looks up at the winding, narrow path across the lake. It looks as though it has been made through earthbending, and it is guarded by an impressive-looking gate. He squints at the inscription... _Abandon Hope_. He feels a chill run down the length of his spine, as Aang leads them through the gate and onto the rock of the pass.

As they walk, they turn to see a Fire Nation ship drift across one side of the lake. They bend down behind some rocks, watching silently as it drifts past. Zuko thinks he can see smoke somewhere in the distance and frowns. They're up to something on the other side of the lake... But what? And why are they being so secretive about it?

They continue on, but only a few steps later the path suddenly gives out beneath one of the refugees, who cries out in alarm. Toph manages to save him, but it draws the attention of the Fire Nation, who fire at them. Zuko manages to stop it with a wall of water, and they go running down the path away from it. As they're running, Sokka turns to Zuko and hisses "what were you thinking?!"

Zuko merely looks at him in confusion. "Um, that I didn't want another scar to match the one on my face, mostly?"

Sokka simply shakes his head, but Zuko frowns as he follows the other boy across the pass.

Night begins to drift over them, and they find a relatively wide patch of land to make camp. Zuko sets up near the edge, sitting cross-legged on his sleeping bag to look out over the moon. He feels someone settle beside him, and doesn't say anything at Sokka's sudden presence for a long moment; simply watches the moon rise in the sky.

"Do you think she's watching us?" Zuko asks, risking a glance over at Sokka.

Sokka smiles, soft and sad. "I like to think so, yeah."

They're quiet for a moment, and Zuko swears he feels Sokka shift a little closer. And if he maybe lays his head on Sokka's shoulder, and feels the way Sokka leans into him for a moment, then, well...

It's just a moment for the three of them.

Morning dawns bright and early, and they set off again. But then they reach a break in the pass; and it's completely submerged in water. Zuko thinks for a moment that they'll have to go back, but then Katara turns and grins at him and says, "give me a hand, why don't you?" and together, they split the water in two, bending it over their heads. Zuko marvels at how effortless it feels, waterbending as a team like this.

They make it halfway across before the... thing attacks them. A giant serpent. Toph manages to earthbend them back to the surface, and the sea monster rears it's head up and shrieks.

"Now I know why they call it the Serpent's Pass!"

"I'll distract it," Aang says, opening his glider. "Find a way to get everyone across!" And off he goes. And before anyone can stop her, Katara is following after him.

Toph looks somewhat panicked as she says, "how are we supposed to get across?"

Sokka turns towards Zuko, eyes wide and says, "ice! You need to freeze the water, make a bridge!"

Zuko feels a tide of panic wash over him. "I can barely create frost and you want me to make a _bridge_?!"

"You're the only waterbender here! If you don't, we all die!" Suki shouts, and Zuko feels his heart hammer in his chest as he turns towards the other piece of land...

He takes a deep breath and focuses. He ignores the heat in his heart, ignores the fire that is the anger that still burns in his veins. He ignores the throbbing of his scar, and instead... He feels the air, he listens to the water, and he lets it grow cold around him... and shoots a blast of ice out across the water, forming a sturdy bridge, which Suki, Sokka, Zuko, and the refugees are quick to hop onto. Toph, however stays behind.

"Toph, you have to move!" Sokka shouts.

"No thanks! I'm perfectly happy on my little island!"

As if on cue, the serpent rises behind her, and Toph stumbles forward onto the ice, before shuffling across. She makes it about halfway, before the bridge shatters. Without thinking, Zuko and Suki push their way past Sokka and dive into the water, before resurfacing with Toph safely in their arms. Between the two of them, they carry her to dry land. Aang and Katara rejoin them, and they reach the top of the pass... and see the walls of Ba Sing Se.

Of course, right on cue, Ying goes into labor. It takes Katara's healing and the others' assistance, but she gives birth to a healthy young girl, whom she names Hope. Zuko merely smiles, and thinks to himself that the name is perfect. As he steps out of the tent, standing over the outlook, Katara briefly joins him.

"Told you you could do it." She tells him, and Zuko smiles.

"I guess I just needed a little push."

A few moments later, Suki and Sokka and Aang join them. Suki says her goodbyes, but before leaving, pauses to hug Sokka tight. She whispers something that makes him turn a little red, but Sokka merely nods and wishes her luck. Aang then turns to the group and opens his glider.

"I'm going to find Appa. I'll meet you in the city." He takes off, and they watch him fly towards the walls.

Little do they know that they will be seeing him again soon.


	17. Chapter 17

They are halfway across the field to Ba Sing Se when Aang reappears, his expression grave. They pause as he lands next to them, and Katara steps forward, visibly confused.

"I thought you were going to find Appa?" she asks.

Aang shakes his head, lips drawn thin. "We have a bigger problem; I think I just figured out what the Fire Nation was working on on the other side of the lake."

They follow Aang across the plains, and over a hill and Zuko feels like all his blood drains down to his feet. Because sitting at the base of the wall, rapidly approaching, is a giant drill. The "bit" doesn't yet spin, but he can feel the earth shake even from the distance he's at. Then it pauses and extends to an even greater size and Zuko knows in a heartbeat what they're planning on doing...

They're going to drill right into Ba Sing Se.

His heart stutters in his chest; he knows that if the Fire Nation considers him a traitor, there's no doubt they'd consider his uncle a traitor as well. And if the Fire Nation breaches Ba Sing Se, it'll give them a straight path to one of the only people he truly has left in this world, and he absolutely cannot let that happen. He'll die himself before he lets the Fire Nation get their blood-stained hands on the man who has kept him safe, who has practically raised him these last three years.

And so it is Zuko who says, "we can't let them get into the city."

They run until they reach the wall, and Toph and Aang bring them up the wall with earthbending. When they reach the top, the full and true size of the Fire Nation's drill becomes obvious. Zuko steps up to the edge, intending to lean over and get a better look, when Sokka grabs him by the arm and drags him back. Zuko doesn't mean to lose his temper, he really doesn't... But he snaps at Sokka anyways.

"What is your problem?!"

"My problem?" Sokka responds, his voice cracking as it raises an octave. "What's yours?! Do you have a death wish or something?!"

Zuko scowls and whips around to face Sokka fully. "No! Ever since the pass you've been stupidly overprotective and I'm sick of it! I'm not fragile; I can take care of myself Sokka."

They stand facing off for a long moment, and then Sokka's shoulders slump and he sighs. "I know it's just... I don't want to lose anyone else I-"

"Hey! You kids can't be up here!"

They turn and see an Earth Kingdom soldier running up towards them, and Aang quickly steps up to talk to him. "Just look down!"

The soldier turns and looks, then visibly pales. "... You better come with me."

They're brought to a small, open-air office, where they are introduced to General Sung, who is quick to insist that their help is not needed, that their elite earthbenders will handle this! ... His elite earthbenders are quickly dispatched by Mai and Ty Lee, and they all turn to look pointedly at General Sung who admits that... okay, they might need a tiny bit of help. Zuko frowns down as the two girls retreat back into the drill and frowns.

"It's almost like she takes you down from the inside..." he murmurs, and Sokka suddenly lights up.

"I've got it! We'll take the drill down from the inside!"

They all head down to the field, and Toph creates a large cloud of dust to keep them from being spotted as they slip into the belly of the machine. They manage to avoid being seen, and with a little clever waterbending, they take down one of the engineers, from who Sokka recovers a map. From that point, they begin to work away at the pillars keeping it to together, but even with three waterbenders working away at the metal at once, it takes an excruciatingly long time and leaves them all exhausted.

"We can't do this. By the time we destroy the pillars, the drill will be inside Ba Sing-"

The drill suddenly shudders, and they all look at each other in delight until a voice comes over the intercom... "Congratulations folks! We've made contact with the outer wall of Ba Sing Se!"

"We're doomed..." Zuko mutters, and for once no one steps up to disagree with him. Aang is frowning at the brace nearest to them, when his eyes suddenly widen.

"We don't need to cut them all the way through... Just halfway! Just enough to weaken them!"

The others exchange looks. "Aang," Katara begins, "we don't have enough time to do that!"

"Sure we do! Katara, you head to the left. Zuko, to the right. Once every brace has been weakened, I'll head up to the top and deliver the final blow from there."

Zuko and Katara both nod, and head off in opposite directions. Zuko makes quick work of his braces, and they Aang tells them to get out. They manage to find an escape through a tunnel full of sludge... But little do they know that Ty Lee has followed them. As Zuko, Sokka, and Katara emerge back on dry ground, Katara runs off, shouting over her head that she's going to go help Toph on the outside and leaving them alone. Then Zuko spots her... Ty Lee, using the sludge to reach them.

And he knows if she catches up to them, she'll render them useless. So he takes a deep breath and digs his feet into the mud, freezing himself to the ground... and pushes with all his strength, stopping the flow in it's tracks, and Ty Lee with it. Somewhere on top of the drill, there is a flash of blue fire, and Zuko curses as he pushes harder against the liquid. A few moments later, Katara rejoins them and steps up next to Zuko. They push the slurry back further, and Zuko can hear the metal groan from the building pressure...

Another flash of blue fire, followed by a bolt of lightning and then...

The drill snaps, and slurry goes flying out as metal shrikes and each brace gives way under the pressure. The drill falls apart, and Zuko is certain he can hear Azula's howl of rage echo out over the plains. Aang rushes up to them with Toph, and Sokka pulls them all into a tight group hug, hollering about team names all the while.

Katara is able to extract them, and they finally make their way into the city, leaving the remnants of the Fire Nation drill behind them.


	18. Chapter 18

The ride on the monorail into the city is... inspiring, to say the least. Fields of rice and wheat and other grains spread out below them, and wild and domesticated animals alike spread throughout the farms. Small houses sit nestled between the boundary lines, and a small village has even cropped up within the walls. Even from this height, Zuko can see it bustling with activity. He wonders if his Uncle would choose somewhere like that, or if he lies further within.

He'll find out soon.

The monorail stops at a station within the inner ring, and they step out with the rest of the passengers, and are approached by a woman who's terrifying appearance might rank up alongside Azula's. She has a smile that stretches far too widely across her face, and her bow is a little too stiff to be natural as she approaches the group.

"Welcome to Ba Sing Se! I'm Joo Dee, and I'll be your guide. It's an honor to have you and your friends here, avatar!"

They exchange some tentative looks, but Aang, Sokka, Katara, and Toph start to follow her... While Zuko hangs back. Aang is the first to notice this, and turns to look at him. "Aren't you coming?" he asks.

Zuko shakes his head. "No... I'm sorry, but this is where we must part ways."

The others stop fully, and turn to stare at him with wide eyes. "You aren't going to explore the city with us?" Toph asks. "Are you that tired?"

Zuko laughs, but it doesn't sound right. It's insincere, and almost painful. "No, I mean this is where we part ways _permanently_. I will no longer be traveling with you."

He watches as their faces change from surprise to... sadness? That's not what he expected. He was expecting relief, he was expecting them to make this easy. Aang steps up and says, "but why? Did we do something wrong?"

"No! No of course not!" Zuko exclaims, and he hates himself for the tears he feels pricking his eyes. "I just..."

Katara's face suddenly softens, understanding flowing across her features. "You need to find your uncle." Zuko nods, throat tight.

"We can help you! Let us search the city together, it'll be faster-" Sokka starts, but Zuko raises a hand and cuts him off.

"No, Sokka. You guys need to find Appa. This is... something I need to do alone." Zuko is certain they will get angry at him, cast him off for good. Leave Zuko to regress back to his anger and hatred. THat things will return to how they were before...

Instead, they do something that surprises him. They all bow low, sad smiles on their face. Zuko feels the tears run freely now. When was the last time someone bowed to him not out of fear, or protocol but genuine respect? He finds that he cannot remember a time anyone ever bowed to him with even a trace of true respect, not even his Uncle.

Zuko bows back, and turns to look at them. There is so much he wants to say, so much he wants to tell them. Instead, he manages to shorten it.

He turns to Aang first. "I'm sorry for all that time I spent trying to capture you. I want to thank you, for reminding me that there are more solutions than just violence."

Toph. "I'm... going to miss you, Toph. It's been a long time since someone reminded me that I'm not just a soldier, that I'm still young. Don't let anyone crush that spirit of yours."

Katara. "In the Fire Nation, our teachers were once reveared above all else. We call our masters 'Sifu', and their legacies often last long after they are gone. It's been an honor, Sifu Katara."

And... Sokka. Sokka... How do you say goodbye to someone you think you might be falling in love with? To someone who reminded you that it isn't your bending or lack thereof that makes you who you are but the decisions you make? To someone brave and handsome and funny and smart? "Sokka, I... Do me a favor?"

Sokka nods, and his voice comes out a little choked. "Of course."

"Don't forget me?"

Zuko has been surprised several times today, but he's surprised eve more when Sokka pulls him into a tight embrace. "I never could," the water tribe boy whispers, and Zuko melts into his arms, embracing him tight. A few moments later, the rest of the group joins them, all hugging Zuko tight, and Zuko never wants to leave.

But he has to. And so he pulls gently away, and bows low one more time, before turning and heading out to start his search in the Outer ring, as Joo Dee leads the others in the opposite direction.

Each step feels like Zuko is dragging a boulder behind him... Nonetheless, he continues forward.

He has to find Uncle Iroh.


End file.
